The architecture of a Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network, and the corresponding Evolved Packet Core (EPC), was not initially designed to take into account the handling of traffic for different types of services through different types of access networks. Multiple data streams requiring different treatment when being sent between a User Equipment (UE) and a network access point such as an eNodeB (eNB), can be supported by configuration of one or more levels within the LTE air interface user plane (UP) stack, which consists of Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP), Radio Link Control (RLC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layers. Additionally, support for prioritization of logical channels such as the Data Radio Bearer (DRB), also referred to as Logical Channel Prioritization (LCP), is somewhat limited in its flexibility. The LTE air interface defines a fixed numerology that was designed to provide a best result for a scenario that was deemed to be representative of an expected average usage scenario. The ability of a network to support multiple network slices with respective to the differentiated treatment of traffic and the support of customised Service Level Agreements (SLAs) would allow greater flexibility. In fifth generation (5G) networks, Core Network (CN) expands the capabilities of the EPC through the use of network slicing to concurrently handle traffic received through or destined for multiple access networks where each access network (AN) may support one or more access technologies (ATs).
This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.